I have one friend who is in the middle of it. She's in Namibia and enjoying it quite a bit. Granted, she went into it with no partner, no expectations and a BSc Biology. She's doing blood tests and other lab related things. Seems nice enough. I have no idea if going with someone else makes it harder, but it would seem like it might. As well, money is nonexistant, but you're volunteering to make the world a better place, so who cares eh?

I've a friend who did his 3 in Mali, and then joined CARE. Now he is the does something safer in Boston. He was Country Director at International Rescue Committee after being Assistant Country Director at CARE International.

My ex-girlfriend did a hitch after college. She moved around the Caribbean a bit. She got certification as a nurses aid and later got her Nursing degree through their programs. She loved it and thought it was the perfect experience for someone looking to really expand their world-view. She grew up in the suburbs and used to joke she saw more people of color her first day in the PC than in her first 18 years of life. She ended up working in a village with a medical team who essentially gave these people the means to create a self-sustaining medical infrastructure as well as good sanitation. She said their life expectancy likely doubled after that. Astounding stuff. I know if you contact the PC they'll put you in touch with former members who talk about their experiences, as she does that pretty often. Best of luck.

I have had two friends who have done it, one of whom is in the middle of his stint in west Africa. Both of whom have given me the same account of it. Both said the process of getting into it is extremely complicated and involved, but once they got in country Peace Corps basically ceased to be involved. Both said they got/get no support. Both of them seemed to indicate that it has been very hard due to lack of support, but both have had good host families or friends to fall back on. Seems like these two accounts differ from the other's posited here.

My girlfriend was trying to go, and they were probably going to send her to somewhere French-speaking in Africa, but they were dragging their heels for a long time because of all the meds she's been on during her life. They took too long, so she said fuck it.

We want to do the old married couple in the Peace Corps thing someday.